Middle Niobrara Natural Resources District

Tree Program

 

Due to the Sandhills high winds, temperature fluctuation, and lack of natural tree cover,

the NRD focuses a large portion of their conservation practices on tree planting.

 

The MNNRD plants trees and installs plastic mulch for participants in Cost share programs such as the Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Program (NSWCP), Pheasants Forever Corners for Wildlife, Nebraska Game and Parks commission (NGPC) Wild Nebraska, Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQUIP), and Farm Service Agency (FSA) Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP)

 

- The NRD provides trees (bare root & potted), shrubs, and plastic mulch for landowners.

- Assists with the planning of shelterbelts and windbreak renovations.

- Machine plants trees and installation of plastic mulch.

- Preparation of ground for plastic mulch by rototilling or mowing.

- The NRD staff welcomes follow up comments on tree belts planted, condition of trees, and results of the plastic mulch.

- Special order for trees are available if requested early. Pricing will vary.

- There are no guarantees on tree survivability

 

BACKYARD TREES

Trees in your backyard can be home to many different types of wildlife. Trees can reduce your heating and cooling costs, help clean the air, add beauty and color, provide shelter from the wind and sun, and add value to your home. Choose a tree that will provide enjoyment for you and fits your landscape. Before you buy, you should find out if a tree is appropriate for your area, how big it will get, how long it will live, its leaf color in the fall, any nuts or fruit it may bear, and proper planting instructions and care for that species. Make a conscious effort to select trees native to your area. They will live longer be more tolerant of local weather and soil conditions, enhance natural biodiversity in your neighborhood, and be more beneficial to wildlife than non-native trees. Avoid exotic trees that can invade other areas, crowd out native plants, and harm natural ecosystems. Plant a variety of tree species. For wildlife choose trees and shrubs that bloom and bear fruit or nuts at different times of the year. Your backyard can be home for many different types of birds, butterflies, beneficial insects, and other wildlife. For more information on backyard wildlife contact your local NRD or NRCS offices or http://www.nrcs.usda.gov.

taken from "Backyard Conservation" publication of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Association of Conservation Districts, and Wildlife Habitat Council

 

 

Don't Top Trees!

 

Many people mistakenly "top" trees because they grow into utility wires, interfere with views or sunlight, or simply grow so large that they worry the landowner. Proper pruning can remove excessive growth without the problems topping creates.

Topping creates a hazardous tree in four ways:

IT ROTS.  Topping opens the tree up to an invasion of rotting organisms.  A tree can defend itself from rot when side branches are removed, but it has a hard time walling off the pervasive rot to which a topping cut subjects it.  Rotted individual limbs-or the entire tree-may fail as a result, often years later.

IT STARVES.  Very simply, a tree's leaves manufacture its food.  Repeated removal of the tree's leaves-its food source-literally starves the tree.  This makes it susceptible to secondary diseases such as root rot---a common cause of failing trees.

WEAK LIMBS.  New limbs made from the sucker or shoot regrowth are weakly attached and break easily in wind or snow storms-even many years later when they are large and heavy.  A regrown limb never has the structural integrity of the original.

INCREASED WIND RESISTANCE.  The thick regrowth of suckers or sprouts resulting from topping make the tree top-heavy and more likely to catch the wind.  This increases the chance of blow-down in a storm.  Selectively-thinned trees allow the wind to pass through the branches. It's called "taking the sail out" of a tree.